Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a variant of a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) radio access technology where the radio base station nodes are connected to a core network, via Access Gateways (AGWs), rather than to radio network controller (RNC) nodes as in UTRAN (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network). In general, in LTE systems the functions of a radio network controller (RNC) node are distributed between the AGWs and the system's radio base stations nodes, referred to in the specifications for LTE as eNodeBs or eNBs. Generally, a wireless communication network can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless communication devices, also referred to in the state of the art as terminal or as user equipment (UE). Each wireless communication device communicates with one or more access nodes such as a base station, e.g. a Node B or an Enhanced Node B (EnodeBs or eNB), via a downlink (from the access node to the wireless communication device) or uplink (from the wireless communication device to the access node) transmission. These communication links may be established via a single-input-single-output (SISO), single-input-multiple output (SIMO), multiple-input-single-output (MISO), or multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system.
Wireless communication devices, such as UEs, are often handed-off between base stations and/or associated cells, for example, when a wireless communication device is moving relative to the base stations, or based on other considerations such as base station type, interference, loading or other criteria. In order to provide continuous service, handover procedures are used to effect transfers of wireless communication devices between base stations. However, a change of cells or base stations may also occur when the wireless communication device has been switched off and is powered on again in a coverage area of another base station or after a sleep phase or similar circumstances.
In order to access the wireless network via an access node, e.g. after powering on the device, when waking up from a sleep mode, or when changing cells the device typically goes through the following process: Since there are many frequencies, e.g. from different operators, available to which a wireless communication device may connect, the wireless communication device synchronizes to each frequency and checks whether this frequency is from the right operator to which it wants to connect to. This is done by going through a synchronization process. Once synchronized the wireless communication device reads the master information block (MIB) and System information blocks (SIB). The wireless communication device then proceeds by reading System information block 1 (SIB1) and System information block 2 (SIB2). This access information, i.e. MIB and SIB1, is transmitted by the network at a fixed cycles. For instance, MIB is transmitted every 4 frames starting from System Frame Number (SFN) SFN 0 and SIB1 is also transmitted every 8 frames starting from SFN 0. All other SIB are being transmitted at the cycles specified by SIB scheduling information elements contained in SIB1. MIB, SIB1 and all other SIB contain useful information for accessing the network. The information contained in MIB, SIB1 etc. may comprise or is related to downlink cell bandwidth, RACH parameters, IDLE mode paging configuration, such as timer and counter settings, and the like. In the next step, known as Random Access Procedure (RACH), the network for the first time knows that some wireless communication device is trying to get access.
Yet another use case for wireless communicating devices is for industrial applications. Wireless communication may be used for remote control of heavy machinery in remote or hazardous places; or used for monitoring and control of smart grids. Here the need has arisen to provide extremely fast and reliable connectivity, and thus obtain the functionality needed for these applications. Especially in the case of this machine type communication (MTC) short transmission time interval (TTI), robust transmission, fast channel assignment and in general high availability, energy efficiency and low latency are desirable.